"Haaretz" puts Hebrew website behind paywall

The subscription will cost NIS 39.90 per month or NIS 399 per year.

"Haaretz" will become the first Hebrew newspaper to charge a subscription for its website. Last year "Haaretz" put its English language website behind a pay-wall. The subscription for the Hebrew edition will cost NIS 39.90 per month or NIS 399 per year. Non-subscribers will be able to read ten articles a month for free. Subscribers of the print edition will have free access to the website, and subscribers of the Friday edition only will be eligible for a 50% discount for the online edition.

In a letter to readers, "Haaretz" publisher Amos Schocken said, "This is a change in the relationship between Haaretz and the readers of its digital editions." He added, "Israelis who have paid for digital content until now did so mainly for major international sites, for music, television series, or smartphone apps. Haaretz is the first Israeli newspaper joining this global trend of charging for full access to content on its digital platform."

Schocken added, "The production of digital content is not cheap, and it will only survive if there is financial compensation."